Chapter 616: The Second Julius Recital

The grand piano stood in the most prestigious salon at the House Heine estate, where we were all gathered. The room was spacious enough to serve as a small ballroom; in fact, I had practised dancing here before.

I sat down at the grand piano and set the sheet music on the stand. My Performance skill was at a high level, so playing it shouldn’t be a problem. The real question was how far I should take the performance.

All right. This seemed to be a song full of memories for Father, so I would put my heart into it. It might even have been tied to memories of Mother as well.

I played the game’s magnificent opening theme, making it sound even grander and more solemn than before.

Thus began the second Julius recital—although I was only going to play this one piece.

I finished the performance with a wave of nostalgia. As expected of an opening theme, it was quite long. Yet I had played it without any trouble at all. The Performance skill really was outrageously overpowered.

In the game, it had raised my allies’ abilities and lowered those of monsters.

“So, what did you—what?!”

I had wondered why no one reacted after I finished, only to discover that they were crying! Faced with the extraordinary sight, Rosalia seemed to be squeezing Mira with all her strength.

Rosalia, you’re choking Mira!

“Rosalia, Mira looks like they can’t breathe!”

I hurriedly freed Mira from Rosalia. That was close. Their eyes had nearly rolled back. Rosalia might have been a child, but strangling a Holy Dragon… What a terrifying girl.

“Are you all right, Mira? It’s only a flesh wound.”

“Kyuu…”

“I-I’m sorry, Mira. I was so surprised.”

“I understand how Rosalia feels.”

As the three of us embraced, everyone else finally began to recover. Belated applause filled the salon.

Now?

“That was a splendid performance, Julius,” Father said. “It was many times more magnificent than when we heard it before. Would you please record that song on my gramophone?”

“I would like it on mine as well,” Mother added. “That song was playing when Max and I first met at a dance party.”

“I see. Of course. I’ll record it on both your gramophones.”

Father and Mother stood shoulder to shoulder, wiping away their tears. They both wore bright, buoyant smiles, so they must have been tears of joy. Thank goodness it didn’t look as though I had made my parents cry in a bad way.

“Julius, could you put that song on my gramophone too?” Brother Alex asked.

“Mine as well, please,” said Sister-in-law Daniela.

“Please put it on mine too, Brother Julius!” Rosalia cried.

“All right. Once everyone’s gramophone is complete, I’ll perform it again and have each one record it.”

And so the second Julius recital came safely to an end. No one had scolded me, so I supposed everything had gone well.

Once I returned to my room, I collapsed face-down across my desk.

“That was exhausting. Do you think Lady Fabienne will want that song recorded on hers too?”

“…Without a doubt,” Nero replied.

Perhaps remembering my performance, Nero’s eyes had filled with tears. Was I the only one who found this an incredibly strange sight? Even accounting for the fact that Nero was practically the cardinal of the Church of Julius, this was an extraordinary degree of emotion.

If I performed that piece in front of the knights and Royal Magic Pharmacists, the ensuing wails and chaos might create a vision of hell itself. Rosalia might scream and this time actually strangle Mira.

“Kyuu…”

“It’s all right, Mira. That won’t happen. Still, just to be safe, perhaps you shouldn’t stay near Rosalia whenever I perform.”

“Kyuu.”

After being squeezed so tightly by Rosalia, Mira apparently decided to sleep in my bed tonight. They usually slept in all sorts of people’s rooms. I was extremely curious about what happened when they slept in Sister-in-law Daniela’s room.

How improper.

The next morning, I went to collect Lady Fabienne as soon as breakfast was over. My reply should have reached her yesterday, so there shouldn’t be any problem.

It had been quite some time since I last enjoyed an aerial outing on Mira’s back. What a wonderful view. Mira seemed delighted as well, bounding through the sky as though it were solid ground.

“Lord Julius!”

“Good morning, Lady Fabienne!”

Lady Fabienne was already waiting in the garden of the Ambert estate. She must have seen us gliding through the sky.

As soon as we landed, Baron and Baroness Ambert came outside as well.

“Good morning. From today onwards, I shall once again be borrowing Lady Fabienne.”

“Think nothing of it,” Baron Ambert said. “She’s been restless since yesterday. I expect she feels most at ease beside you, Lord Julius.”

“Father…”

Lady Fabienne spoke in a tiny voice, her face turning bright red.

Was that so? That made me incredibly happy. It seemed I had truly become the sturdy tree she could lean upon.

“I’ll bring her home before sunset, so please don’t worry.”

“We leave her in your care. Fabienne, do your best.”

“Yes, Father.”

With Lady Fabienne seated in front of me, Mira took to the sky once more. The people of the territorial capital had already begun their day. Looking down at the streets below, we flew back towards the House Heine estate, keeping above the rooftops whenever possible.